All Time

Saturday, June 25, 2016

[LIMA] Saturdays in Lima

The
plane ride felt like knocking on hell’s door. My one-week old sore throat
finally decided to let me expel the mucus starting this morning, which wasn’t
enough preparation for the flight. The almost six hours I spent on that plane
felt like eternity, and the cherry on top was a crippling migraine of Oberyn
Martell proportions as we were about to land. With the very sorry state I was
in, I knew I’ll have another run in with the airport’s thermal scanner.
Surprise, surprise, Lima’s airport doesn’t seem to have one.

The
only booboo in crossing the immigration counter was that the officer stamped a
new page of my passport, but she was a nice old lady so I couldn’t really give
her the stare of death despite me being a jerk. Now I only have room left for
two more visas, and we’re just halfway done through the year. FML. Lima’s
airport has free WiFi via Wigo, but it’s limited to 10 minutes. This is why I
felt even more frustrated when the Uber driver decided to take a tour of the
airport parking lot before reaching me.

I
wanted to be a jerk to him too, but he was a nice old guy who wouldn’t stop
giving tips on how to go around Lima and how to get rid of my illness. He told
me I seemed desperate to get out of the airport. I did cancel the trip and
called for a new driver, but Uber assigned him to me once again. I told him that
I was really sick, and I think he was quick to understand that. My Airbnb host was
yet another nice old lady, and a very accommodating one at that. She even accompanied
me to the grocery and the pharmacy!

In
the end, I woke up the next morning ready to fight, with the sore throat gone
and almost no trace of the headache. Given that I have the whole weekend to
spend in Lima, I decided to take everything slow. After having lunch at KFC, I
called an Uber to bring me to Plaza de Armas, which is the historical core of
the capital. Uber is not yet that popular here, but you are bound to find one
with just around 5 minutes of wait time. The caveat is that it’s a bit pricy at
PEN12.50 (~PHP187.50) per half an hour ride.

But
I really have to fully recover before Tuesday morning, so I guess buying myself
comfort is the way to go instead of facing hospital bills head-on later if this
gets worse. Plaza de Armas looks fancier than Guate’s own plaza. Mexico’s
Zocalo is way bigger, but Lima’s has more colonial buildings enclosing it on
all sides, with the familiar bright yellow hues agreeing well with the faint
tone of the palace and the cathedral. The square was very much alive, given it
was a Saturday, with school children on field trips as well as tourists.

You
are allowed to take photos of the palace, but do ask one of the guards nicely.
My timing was just about right, when the soldiers were doing their ceremonial
march. The cathedral houses a museum of religious artifacts, if I remember it
correctly. As you all know, I’m not that interested in religion, so I didn’t
bother to go in. I think the entrance fee is PEN10 (~PHP150), but don’t quote
me on that. You will then see a pastel green building at the end of the alley
on the right side of the palace. Go there.

That
building is the Casa de la Literatura Peruana, which is a library/museum
dealing with everything Peruvian language and literature. It also has a
collection of Mario Vargas Llosa’s books, if Hispanic lit is your thing. The
interior design is an attraction in itself, with stained glass displays here
and there, as well as the prevalent presence of the power of words, etched on
the ceilings, the floor, and even the stairs. There’s no entrance fee, and
there’s a toilet inside if you need one.

After
that, you have the option to either go back to the square, or head east. To the
west is the palace but entry is prohibited. Again, head east and you will find
yourself in yet another church, a yellow one with a fountain as the
centerpiece. You will also find pigeons being fed by tourists and locals alike.
This church has catacombs if you feel a bit morose. Otherwise, head farther
east and you will end up at the main avenue, where you will see a bridge
heading to an area called Rimac.

That
zone stands out because of the hill with houses on its slopes. I think it’s
possible to go all the way up there, but I didn’t know which way to go. The
area is also very dusty, so it was a bit difficult to navigate. In the end, you’ll
see a footbridge which serves as a good vantage point for a panoramic shot.